Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead

Sila•Moses Lake, WA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world? As an Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Specialist within the manufacturing division, you will operate directly on the production floor to implement, refine, and maintain the Sila Production System. You are an adaptable professional who partners effectively with engineers, shift supervisors, and managers to turn operational data into practical shop-floor advancements. On a daily basis, you will manage high-impact DMAIC initiatives, support the tiered Daily Management System, and audit standardized operations to eliminate inefficiencies within a continuous 24/7 environment. You will serve as a technical mentor for frontline teams and supervisors, driving a culture of problem-solving and psychological safety while independently resolving complex process challenges.

Requirements

Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in continuous improvement, production planning, or manufacturing engineering (required field).
Proven background operating within a highly regulated or complex manufacturing environment, such as the chemical, automotive, or aerospace sectors.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical) or Supply Chain Management.
Active Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification with a demonstrated history of successful project delivery.
Proficiency in using data analytics or visualization software (such as Power BI, Minitab, Tableau, or SQL) to guide strategic operational decisions.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with plant operations to optimize, review, and audit Standardized Work and visual factory controls, eliminating tribal knowledge across all shifts.
Facilitate and mature the tiered Daily Management System (DMS) and shift huddle boards (SQDCP) to ensure frontline issues are quickly escalated and resolved.
Lead cross-functional, high-impact tactical projects using Six Sigma (DMAIC) methodologies, Kaizen events, and Value Stream Mapping to minimize process variation and waste.
Monitor the site's productivity funnel and collaborate with Finance to document and validate cost-savings that drive COGS reduction.
Act as a technical mentor to production superintendents and shift leads, shifting the plant culture from reactive firefighting to proactive daily management.